Former Millicent shearer Cathy Wendelborn is about to welcome over 100 of her fellow shearers to the Millicent Showgrounds for a reunion on March 28-30.


They will congregate at the RV Park and then dine at the shearing shed where many had shorn in past competitive events.


Ms Wendelborn has reached out to those competitive shearers to come together and re-live the old times.


She said a reunion was timely given their advancing ages.


A group photo will be taken on Saturday followed by a self-catered dinner.


Nutrien Ag Solutions is assisting with sponsorship of the dinner.


It is anticipated the visiting shearers will visit such places of interest as the National Trust Museum, Lake McIntyre and Canunda National Park.


The shearers reunion is a private function and not open to the public.


Ms Wendelborn is well-placed to coordinate such a reunion.


Inducted into the Australian Shearers Hall of Fame in 2022, Ms Wendelborn has a high profile through media coverage of her career,


She was the subject of a Tony Armstrong ABC television documentary last year and a song has been written about her.


After working as a roustabout in local sheds, she began shearing in 1982 and became a trailblazer for women shearers.


With the support of her parents Marlene (deceased) and Ray, Ms Wendelborn became very involved in competitions and convened the annual Millicent Show shearing event for 15 years.


She competed throughout Australia in open class events against the men and made many finals.


At the opening of the National Wool Centre in Geelong in 1988 she shore before Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth and presented her with a lock of wool.


At the world championships in Ireland in 1998 she won the Ladies Invitation event.


Ms Wendelborn retired from shearing at the age of 40 in 2004 when she bought the Quilpie Bakery in Queensland.


During her time as a shearer, she was instantly recognised through a mass of curly hair.


That has long gone and replaced with a crew-cut.


“I was asked by a friend to take part in a charity head shave and I have kept my hair short ever since,” Ms Wendelborn said.


“No more worries about buying shampoo or looking for hair brushes.”


Ray will be accompanying his daughter on the trip from Queensland and there is a bitter-sweet reason for their journey.


Father and daughter will be bringing Marlene’s ashes with them.


“We will be travelling home via Lameroo as this is where Mum wanted to be buried,” Ms Wendelborn said.